Central Valley tops Cheney

CHENEY - Considering what happened the last time he took to the field, Cheney did a notable job of stopping record-setting Central Valley running back Beau Butner last Friday.

But the Bears had too many other weapons in their 34-6 Greater Spokane League football victory over the Blackhawks, Oct. 11 at Tom Oswald Field.

Butner ran for a new GSL record 367 yards - plus six touchdowns - in CV's 66-35 win over rival Ridgeline on Oct. 4. But the Blackhawks limited him to a third of that with 121 yards and a pair of scores.

"We did okay with him but they kind of had their way on a lot of other things," Cheney head coach John Graham wrote in an email.

The teams traded a pair of first quarter possessions with the Bears scoring and Blackhawks punting.

Central Valley took the opening kickoff 98 yards with Tuff Ryan going the final 11 for a touchdown with five minutes 42 seconds remaining, Cheney went three-and-out and punted.

It took just over two minutes for the Bears to make it 14-0 when Kamden Lanphere scored with 1:53 remaining on a 49-yard run following a successful conversion on fourth-and-one.

About the only thing that didn't go CV's way were fumbles, which they lost a pair, including one at the 11:50 mark. Cheney recovered at the CV 46 but would later fail to convert on a fourth and long.

Cheney won the turnover battle, but "(We) just didn't take advantage of the ones we got," Graham said.

Butner had his first TD five minutes later for a 21-0 lead at the break.

Cheney watched a possible scoring drive get blunted on a leaping interception from Jake Young with 15 seconds remaining in the half.

"That was a tough one, we were finally moving the ball and had a chance for some momentum going into halftime," Graham said.

CV upped the lead to 28-0 on a Caden Adams 27-yard pass from Ryan and the Blackhawks' Dayson Carrier got Cheney on the board moments later with his 60-yard kickoff return.

Butner scored his second TD on a 3-yard run in the fourth.

Starting quarterback Mason Stinson went to the bench in the second half in favor of Connor Collins, a move Graham said he hoped to provide an offensive spark.

"Mason is still our guy but Connor gives us a little more with his arm," Graham explained. Collins was 6-for-16 and 64 yards while Stinson went 4-of-9 with 23 yards and an interception.

For a second consecutive game, Tank Best led Cheney receivers with three catches for 35 yards while Tristen Huse topped rushing stats with 48 yards one 13 carries.

For Cheney (1-5) the road hardly gets easier as they host GSL co-leader Mead (6-0) for Homecoming on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.

"(They are) a very big, physical, talented team," Graham said. "We will have our hands full."